Vernon Vipers Reunion:

I was forwarded this from Don Klepp.

Vernon Vipers reunion June 14-16th

By Don Klepp

The stories and the beverages were flowing when members of the Viper 2008-10 "band of brothers" gathered in Vernon during the Father's Day weekend.

Two sets of brothers were present; the Jones twins came from the U.S. eastern seaboard. Ryan Kakoske came from Vancouver to be with his Vernon-based brother Bryce.

Sahir Gill, who lives and trains in Vernon during the summer, continues to play the game he loves. Sahir has had success in the American Hockey League – he had 39 points in 74 games for the Rochester Americans in 2017-18. Last year he played for the Augsburg Panthers in the German Elite League, where he has locked horns with the likes of Mike Collins, Garrett Noonan, Curtis Gedig, and Braden Pimm.

After four years in Germany, "Pimmer" has retired as a pro and will now take over his father's business in Fort Saint John. Other recent retirees include Steve Weinstein and Kyle Bigos.

Meanwhile, the Jones twins look for new fields to conquer. After playing for different teams in different leagues last years – Connor played for Bridgeport in the AHL and Kellen was with Vasterviks in Sweden – they will join forces in Switzerland next year.

Rob Short, whose pro career was cut short by a serious neck injury, works in the oil patch in Grande Prairie, Alberta, where he lives with his wife and two children. Cam Brodie, who terrorized opposition forwards during the 2009 title run, now lives in Cochrane, Alberta. Gord "Hoon" Cochran is the Regina Pats equipment man; he also travels with Team Canada teams to international competitions and works the occasional pro game.

The inimitable Graeme Gordon is now a Country music DJ at Vancouver's Radio JR 93.7. Luckily, he's the same "Gordo."

Closer to home, David Robinson is a Vernon firefighter and Chris Crowell is a civil engineer in Kamloops. Kevin Kraus is a sales representative for The End Of The Roll carpets in Kelowna.

Also present for the festivities but not in the photo below were Mac Ferner, Danny Todosychuk, and Colton Sparrow. After completing a Psychology degree at universities in Alaska and Regina, Colton has returned to Vernon where he has begun a sports psychology consulting and counselling practice.

In the photo, front row L-R, David Robinson, Kellen Jones, Kevin Kraus, Connor Jones; back row, L-R, Ryan Kakoske, Gord Cochran, Don Klepp, Mark Ferner, Bryce Kakoske, Chris Crowell, Cameron Brodie, Sahir Gill, Rob Short.